North Bay landlord John Wilson called a news conference downtown this week to try and clear the air about the controversial rat infestation in the apartments that he manages for an out of town property owner.
The story brought unwanted media attention on a national scale to the downtown apartments where the tenant was charged with animal cruelty. She was housing more than 600 rats roaming free throughout the apartment.
See: Woman charged with animal cruelty after hundreds of rats removed from apartment
Also: Close to 600 domestic rats removed from apartment in North Bay
Wilson says he's disappointed by the lack of action by two city organizations he asked to help control the situation.
He explained that he called both the North Bay & District Humane Society and the local Health Unit before he went to the media with the story.
“We were advised that this was not a health issue by the Health Unit despite our explaining that over 150 pet rats were being kept in a small one bedroom apartment and were leaving faeces and urine all over the area, were biting the resident, and the smell was apparent in the hall outside the residence,” said Wilson in his statement to the media.
Once the story started to spread through the media, the North Bay Fire Department contacted Wilson about the situation and after discussion, they asked the Humane Society to attend and assist.
“The Electrical Safety Authority and almost all the electrical devices in the apartment were condemned as dangerous due to rats chewing and exposing bare wires that could have caused electrocution or a fire,” added Wilson.
What outraged him even more, he says, is when city councillor and North Bay & District Humane Society Manager Daryl Vaillancourt expressed through the media, that he was disappointed in how Wilson handled the situation by making it public.
“You can’t get somebody to respond when they won’t respond,” stated Wilson.
Wilson’s comment contradicts comments Vaillancourt made about pet owners who have an out-of-control situation.
“If you find yourself unable to provide proper care for your animals, contact your local humane society or animal centre to seek help,” stated Vaillancourt in a release after the charges were laid.
That frustrates Wilson.
“It is very important for the reliable functioning of our society that service agencies not only provide the expected services but are transparent and truthful with their operations. Politicians seem to be unable to do anything but spin - maybe that’s the problem here - a politician in charge of a service agency,” Wilson said referring to Vaillancourt's running of the Humane Society.
Baytoday was unsuccessful in attempts to contact Vaillancourt, although he did leave BayToday.ca a voicemail.
The woman is now voluntarily living in another residence but the Humane Society has given her back four male rats which are still in the apartment.
Wilson says he has an eviction hearing Wednesday Feb. 1 to permanently get the woman out of the apartment.
BayToday.ca will try to update this story.
